The subject application generally relates to computers, storage in computers or servers. More particularly, the subject application relates to a circuit including multiple BIOS chips and to a switch circuit between multiple BIOS chips and a method of multi-BIOS switching.
Some storage or server products often require apparatuses to have a higher stability, accordingly, a plurality of BIOSs are disposed on a motherboard to prevent loss or damage of motherboard BIOS parameters when one or some of the BIOSs upgraded is failed or when one of some of the BIOSs are damaged by CIH viruses or the like, which would lead to phenomena such as that the computers cannot be powered on or started or the work environment is unstable. When the aforesaid problems occur, common computer users, except professional maintenance personnel and technicians, may be unable to solve these problems by themselves, and this increases the maintenance cost and time and degrades the users' experience in use. However, if a plurality of BIOSs are disposed on a motherboard, even one of the BIOSs is damaged, the system can still be started from other undamaged BIOSs so that there will be no loss. Currently, there are two ways to achieve the aforesaid function for a common motherboard: the first is to dispose a BIOS having a double capacity on the motherboard and divide the BIOS into two sections; and the other is to dispose two BIOS chips on the motherboard. In these two ways, switching between the BIOS chips is accomplished through software or a jumper setting of pin. The aforesaid ways have the following drawbacks: firstly, the safety is low especially for the first way, and the dual-BIOS system will break down once the BIOS chip is physically damaged; and secondly, the jumper setting of pin needs to be performed by opening the housing and is relatively complex, so it is inconvenient for the common users to perform this operation and other hardware apparatuses may even be damaged when the housing is opened.
Chinese Patent Application No. 200710203022.8 discloses a circuit including two BIOS chips. It utilizes the switching function of switch elements to enable the system to be started from two BIOS chips provided with different program codes, and the way in this such application still lacks intelligence and convenience and adds to the complexity in use.
Chinese Patent Application No. 200820092567.6 discloses a switch-type multi-BIOS selection circuit, which is mainly used in a video card of a computer and requires a user to control the BIOS switching through a Reset key by itself. The operating way in this application is still complex and lacks intelligence and initiative.
It may therefore be desirable to provide a multi-BIOS fitting method as well as an apparatus and a method which enable free and safe switching between multiple BIOSs.